Clamp for concrete forms



F. R. LANGFORD CLAMP FOR CONCRETE FORMS Nov. 22, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed July 20, 1964 FIG.2

INVENTOR. Frederick R. Lungford Fulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee 8 UtechfNov. '22, 1966 R. LANGFORD CLAMP 'FOR CONCRETE FORMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 20, 1964 FIG. 6

FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

Frederick R. Langford Fulwider, Puflon, Rieber, Lee & Ufecht UnitedStates Patent 3,286,975 CLAMP FOR CONCRETE FORMS Frederick R. Langford,1313 Luneta Drive, Del Mar, Calif. Filed July 20, 1964, Ser. No. 383,853Claims. (Cl. 249192) The present invention relates to a forming systemcomprising a plurality of adjacent panels whose edges are contiguous.The panels are interconnected by a device which permits the adjustmentof the relative position of adjacent panels. This adjusting deviceprovides for the forming of a surface which is even and which is freefrom misaligned surface treatments such as grooves produced by insertsbetween panels. In other respects the forming system is similar toconventional panel forming of concrete.

The invention utilizes sealing means between the panels to prohibit theegress of the formed substance. This feature is very beneficial in thecase where the formed substance is concrete. When water leaks fromformed concrete, the hardened concrete, in the vicinity of a leak, has arough uncemented sandy finish. Since the sealing means prohibitsleakage, a concrete surface formed with the system of the presentinvention is without such uncemented sandy finish defects.

Other features and the advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the form clamp;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the form clamp;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the sealing means;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the sealing means taken along line 44 of FIG.3, the elastic element being shown expanded;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary back view of the sealing means taken along line55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the forming panels and of thesealing means with the elastic element uncompressed, the form clampbeing shown beyond; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the form clamp and sealing meanstaken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, FIG. 7 illustrates the formingsystem, the principal elements of which are the panels 20 and 22, theform clamp 24 and the sealing member 92 or 94.

The clamp 24 includes an angle 26 with one leg 28 extending verticallyand one leg 30 extending rearwardly, angles 32 and 34, one of which islocated at each end of angle 26, and which extend forwardly of angle 26and at right angles to leg 28, and upright sections 36 and 38 whichextend forwardly of angle 26 and at right angles to leg 28. Angles 32and 34 have upright legs 40 and outwardly facing legs 42. The ends oflegs 42 are each flush with an end of angle 26. Upright sections 36 and38 are in proximity to center of angle 26 and are joined at theirforward ends by upright section 44. The upright legs 40 and the uprightsections 36 and 38 are equally spaced along leg 28. This spacingproduces two channels 46 and 48 with the open ends on the forward sideof clamp 24, and a hole 50 defined by members 28, 36, 38 and 44.

Holes 52. 54, 56, 58, 59, 60, 62, 64 and 66 are provided to receivenails 68, 70, 72, 74, 75, 76, 78, 80 and 82, respectively. Holes 52 and66 are in legs 40 and are located adjacent legs 42. Holes 56 and 62 arein leg 28 and are located adjacent leg 30 and proximately in the centerof channels 46 and 48, respectively. Holes 54, 58

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are so located that their forward projection forms forward extendingchannels 84 in legs 40 and sections 36 and 38, as shown in the sectionalportion of FIG. 1. Channels 84 are in the forward extending sides ofchannels 46 and 48. Hole 59 extends downwardly .and forwardly throughleg 30.

Panels 20 and 22 include upward extending edge flanges 85 and 86,respectively, and vertical forming panels 88. The flanges are afiixed tothe forming panels.

The vertical extending sealing members 92 and 94 each includes a mainbody 96, an elastic seal 98, a forward extending tongue and separatornails 102. The sealing members being symmetric in cross section withrespect to its forward and rearwardly extending axes.

The main body 96 is made of one piece of metal which forms achannelshape which closes on itself at the forward extending end 104.The main body 96 is uniform in shape with respect to its verticallength, has a constant depth, but has four different widths. The rearportion 106 of the main body 96 has a width substantially equal to and adepth less than that of hole 50 of form clamp 24. The back wall 108 ofthe rear portion 106 confronts leg 28 of form clamp 24 where the rearportion 106 passes through said clamp. The side walls 110 of the rearportion 106, confront upright sections 36 and 38 of the form clamp 24where the rear portion 106 passes through said clamp.

A spacer portion 112 of the main body 96, which has parallel walls 114whose interior sides are spaced by a distance substantially equal to thewidth of a separator nail 102, lies adjacent and forwardly of rearportion 106.

Fins 1'16, extend laterally adjacent and forwardly of spacer portion112, one extending from each side.

Forward extending and confronting separator walls 118, which abut oneanother and form the open end 104 of the main body 96, lie adjacent andforwardly of the fins 116.

The rear wall 108 of the main body 96 has holes for the insertion ofseparator nails 102. The separator nails 102 (see FIG. 4) are insertedin holes 120, extended through the rear wall 108, and the spacer portion112, and are forced between separator walls 118. The forcing of theseparator nails 102 between separator walls 118 causes the walls to movelaterally. The shank length of the separator nails 102 having a lengthsubstantially equal to the depth of the main body 96.

The elastic seal 98 has a T-shaped cross section with a forwardextending leg 122 and laterally extending arms 124, each armencompassing one of the laterally extending fins 116. The forwardextending leg 122 encompasses the separator walls 118 and has a widththat is substantially equal to the space between the panels 20 and 22.When the separator walls 118 are moved latterally, the forward extendingleg 122 is stretched laterally.

The tongue 100 lies forwardly of leg 122 and protrudes into the formedsubstance. The shape of this tongue may be chosen to give the desiredsurface design.

The lower portion of the spacer portion 112 of the main body of each ofthe sealing members was removed to provide a slot for the uprightportion 44 of clamp 24, to allow the lower end of the upper sealingmember 92 to pass through the clamp 24.

The forming system is erected in the following manner: One of the panels20, for example panel 20 is already in place, and the remaining panel 22is placed contiguous to panel 20. The channels 46 and 48 of the formclamp 24 are placed, respectively, over the flanges 85 and 86 whichrespectively protrude from the nonforming surfaces of panels 20 and 22.Each of the channels 46 and 48 is wider than either of the wood flanges85 and 86. Holding nail 72 is then driven through hole 3 56 so as toseat the back side of channel 46 against the back side'of flange 85.Holding nail 68 is then-driven through hole 52 to prevent nail 72 frompulling out. Wedging nails 70 and 74 are then driven through holes 54and 58, respectively. a The wedging nails 70 and 74 are guided bygrooves, one of which is shown at 84. The depth of the grooves is lessthan the diameter of the wedging nails. The wedging nails in combinationwith channel 46, fit snugly against the sides of flange 85. At thispoint in the erection sequence the form clamp 24 is firmly aflixed topanel 20.

The next step in the erection sequence is to position panel 22 such thatedges 126 and 128 of panels are-parallel and are spaced such that theleg 122 fits snugly in the space between edges 126 and 128. Only a smalladjustment is necessary to accomplish this result since the channels 46and 48 and the flanges 85 and 86 are constructed so that the panels 20and 22, in combination with theform clamp 24, are substantially alignedbefore the nails are driven through the form clamp. After panel 22 isproperly positioned, holding nail 78 is driven in hole 62, then wedgingnails 76 and 80 are driven in holes 60 and 64, respectively. Holdingnail 82 is driven in hole 66 to prevent the flange 86 from beingpulledout of channel 48. At this point the panels 20 and 22 are firmly heldtogether and positioned by the form clamp and its associated nails.

As previously mentioned holes 52 and 66, and 56 and 62 are adjacentsurfaces 42 and 30, respectively. Therefore nails 68,72, 78 or 82 canonly be driven until their heads abut the outer edges of said surfaces.This feature permits the easy removal of the nails.

If panels 20 and 22 are made of the same size material, the outercorner-of edges 60 and 62 will be parallel.

With the panels 20 and 22 in position, sealing member 94 is placed sothat leg 122 fits between confronting edges 126 and 128 of adjacentpanels. The top end of sealing member 94 is placed just below the bottomof the form clamp 24. Sealing member 92 is then placed by insertingthemain body 96 through hole 50 of form clamp 24. The bottom end of themain body 96 abuts the upper end 132 of sealing member 94. Tab 134 isattached to the back surface 108 of tongue 130 and extends over the backsurface 108 of member 94.

Nail 75 is then inserted in hole 59 and is driven in wedgingrelationship with tab 134. This wedging action forces the elastic leg122 of elastic seal 98, into the space between edges 126 and 128, andforces the arm 124 of said seal against the back sides of panels 20 and22 so as to effectuate a seal between said arms and sides.

The separator nails 102 are then driven so as to laterally expand leg122 of seal 98, thus effectuating a seal between edges 126 and 128. Asmany separator nails as required to effectuate the seal would be driven.

While the form of embodiment herein shown and de scribed constitutes apreferred form, it is understood that other forms may be adopted fallingwithin the scope of the claims that follow. 9

I claim:

I. A forming system comprising in combination:

(A) A plurality of panels whose edges are substantially contiguous andwhich in combination form a continuous forming surface;

(1) said panels each have at least one flange protruding from thenon-forming surface, said flange being adjacent a panel edge;

(B) means cooperating with adjacent flanges of adjacent panels forholding the panels in contiguous relation;

4 (C) a sealing member disposed between confronting edges of the panels;(D) and wedging means for spreading the sealing mem her into sealingrelationship with the confronting edges of the panels. 2. A formingsystem comprising in combination:

(A) A plurality of panels whose edges are substantially (1) channelsspaced so as to receive said flanges, the respective widths of saidchannels being greater than the respective flange widths;

(2) wedging means having a first portion between the channels and havinga second portion extending between the edges of the panels; (3)interconnecting means for spacing and interconnecting said channels; (4)fastening means for fastening the channels to the flanges. 3. A formingsystem comprising in combinationr (A) A plurality of panels whose edgesare SllbStZIl.

tially contiguous and which in combinationform a continuous formingsurface;

(1) said panels each have at least one flange protruding from thenon-forming surface, said flange being adjacent a panel edge;

(B) means cooperating with adjacent flanges of adja-.

cent panels for holding the panels in contiguous re lation and foradjusting the space between panel edges;

(C) sealing means between and adjacent to at least a one of the pairs ofcontiguous edges, said sealing means comprising;

(1) a continuous member located on the non.

forming side of the panels and adjacent the space between the contiguousedges;

(2) a continuous elastic member attached to said continuous member andpositioned in said space and adjacent the non-forming side of saidpanels;

(3) means for compressing said elastic member against the. non-formingside of said panels;

(4) means for expanding the elastic member to.

substantially fill said space.

4. A forming system as defined in claim 1,=character-. ized in that thesealing member ;is formed of elastic material.

5. A forming system as defined in claim Licharacterized in thatthewedging means includes:

( 1) confronting legs, movable away from one another;

(2) and a wedge movable between said confronting legs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 894,549 7/ 1908Tufts 249-192 1,307,368 6/1919 McKay 249-219 1,641,927 9/ 1927 Gremel249-192 2,549,758 4/1951 Cotner 249-492 I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, PrimaryExaminer.

G. A. KAP, R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiners.

1. A FORMING SYSTEM COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A PLURALITY OF PANELS WHOSE EDGES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY CONTIGUOUS AND WHIH IN COMBINATION FORM A CONTINUOUS FORMING SURFACE; (1) SAID PANELS EACH HAVING AT LEAST ONE FLANGE PROTRUDING FROM TGHE NON-FORMING SURFACE, SAID FLANGE BEING ADJACENT A PANEL EDGE; (B) MEANS COOPERATING WITH ADJACENT FLANGES OF ADJACENT PANELS FOR HOLDING THE PANELS IN CONTIGUOUS RELATION; (C) A SEALING MEMBER DISPOSED BETWEEN CONFRONTING EDGES OF THE PANELS; (D) AND WEDGING MEANS FOR SPREADING THE SEALING MEMBER INTO SEALING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CONFRONTING EDGES OF THE PANELS. 